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right out of my hair ♪ >> if your place is like ours right here, there are anti-bacterial wipes and sanitizers everywhere. >> but some workplaces are better than others. and some hand sanitizers are better than others, as well. dr. richard besser puts them to the test. >> reporter: clean. as many as 400,000 germs per hand. that's ho many bacteria travel with us every day. so here at the university of maryland, six brave grad students and i voluntarily doused our hands in a toxic brew of thousands of e. coli bacteria to see what would take it off. first up, hand sanitizers. we tested two kinds you find at the store. one with 60% alcohol and one so-called natural formula containing no alcohol. the key is use enough of it.

your hands should take 15 seconds or longer to dry. then we pressed our hands on special incubation plates to grow any remaining bacteria. the results, dramatic. here, those graying spots of the e. coli that grew from unwashed hands. after, using hand sanitizer. but the formula without alcohol, look how many germs are left behind. alcohol-based hand sanitizers work so much better because alcohol breaks up the bacteria's proteins and kills them. but what is your best bet? guess what, it's your old friend, soap. soap gets more viruses, too. surprisingly, studies shows regular and anti-bacterial soap are equally effective, but how you use it is crucial. most of us only spend five seconds at the sink. just look how many germs remain.

you have to wash your hands for a full 20 seconds to really get the bugs off. and yes, that's singing happy birthday twice. so let's review it again. so hand sanitizers if you can't get to a sink, look for one with at least 60% alcohol. and any kind of soap is better, as long as you wash long enough. dr. richard besser, abc news, college park, maryland. >> soap. >> did you get that? >> use soap. >> he's a dirty man. >> that's way too much. oh, my lord. that's disgusting. >> he is filthy. >> what's the percent on this one? >> this is 70. our commercial for purel begins now. so use purel or use soap. >> oh, man. >> who'd have kbeguessed it?

>> i didn't see that coming. >> me either. that was the clincher of the night. >> now that you've seen the whole picture, we're going to -- >> sanitation, sanitation. >> lather up, girl. coming up next, from the wnn inbox, your questions for our new permanent co-anchor diana perez. >> i'm going to do my best to answer them, coming up next.

what is your favorite way to waste time at work without getting caught? >> this is embarrassing. pick my nose. >> really? >> tell me you don't pick your nose at work. >> not at work. >> that is such bull. >> that was the beginning of the big revelation from my new co-anchor diana perez. >> why did i do that? >> i was thinking you're going

to fit in well. that was a home run. >> i'm sleep deprived. >> that's how we like it. certainly, your honesty does not end there. >> unfortunately. we have a special edition of "wnn inbox" this morning. it's all about me. we asked you do ask me anything and you did. you sent so many questions, all 3 million of you sent 160 questions. >> that's love. >> now i get to answer four. >> this is your first week. let's get roigt -- right to the first question. donna says, i love that you shared the nose picking. please tell us about your most embarrassing televised moment. >> this is not actually that embarrassing. my first job on air, we used to do something called on the road. i was holding up a t-shirt and on the back it said "joe's crab shack." it said, "i got crabs on coney

island." and i'm like, guess what i got. and we got a lot of phone calls. >> so you pick your nose and you have crabs. i'm sitting next to a lady. leeann asks, with your husband working in philly and you here in new york, which one of you has to make the awful commute? >> both of us. we live in jersey. 55 miles split right down the middle. devin, my poor child, we never see him. that's my husband. look at his face. >> sports anchor down in philly. >> love you, baby. >> randy wants to know what your husband thinks about your new work husband, rob nelson? >> he gets the biggest kick out of this guy. he thinks you're the craziest black man he's ever seen. >> from one black man to another. we celebrate each other. and finally, who is your celebrity crush? >> this is a little racy, but so -- i'm sorry, i'm spitting now. so not really sexual. i just feel like this is quite

the specimen of a person, penelope cruz. >> really? look at that. you and penélope. your celebrity crush. >> she is so hot. she is perfect in every way. i haven't seen a lot of pictures of her after she had the baby. so i don't know. but prebaby, wow. >> what about her, is there a certain part? >> everything. every part of her. >> and that's your celebrity crush, not a dude? you have an interesting choice for a dude. >> matthew broderick for a dude. >> never saw it coming. >> but "ferris buehler's day off" matt you broderick. people with sore throats have something new to say.

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so they can guarantee their low prices. so our hotels were half price. ♪ h-o-t-w-i-r-e... ♪ hotwire.com ♪ ♪ welcome, everybody, to "the mix." we start with something that's really interesting. i think every man's dream. you know how there are things that happen to a man that automatically tells a woman what's happening in the bedroom, when he's ready to go. ready and raring to go.

now there's a dress called intimacy 2.0. it is a project. it apparently turns transparent when a woman is sexually aroused. think think of mood ring turned dress. the reason the person that created this created it is it's a project exploring intimacy and technology. it's not really a barely there thing, but it becomes more transparent. if you're asking what it's made of, it doesn't matter. >> that's interesting. come on, now. every guy's goal is always to make the dress disappear. >> you got that right! >> also this from the file of the truly stupid. there was this young girl in front of a judge in miami-dade down there in florida and got a little flippant with the judge.

take a listen to this. >> that will be 10,000. >> are you serious? >> i am serious. adios. >> [ bleep ]. >> did you say that? >> yes, sir. >> 30 days in the county jail. >> so she was stunned by the high bond that he set. she was arrested for drug possession. as she's walking away, she flips him off and literally says "f you" to the judge and gets 30 days. >> on her way out the first time, she said adios, like making fun of his accent. he said oh, really, come on back. $10,000. how do you like me now? >> maybe her probation officer will be lindsay lohan. and this is jewelry created by american designer jennifer

croupy. it looks like torture instruments, but she says it's statement jewelry that amplifies your body and encouraged gestures. it's about making artwork out of your jewelry. this is apparently going to enhance your body language and the way people perceive you, and you're supposed to look more beautiful. >> the statement there is, it's weird. >> third most watched super bowl in history, but apparently because of the power outage, it

this morning on "world news now," explosive findings. the dangerous discoveries for the bomb squad after the dramatic end to that hostage situation in alabama. and the latest on the hostage's condition as he celebrates his 6th birthday today. it's wednesday, february 6.

>> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning, everybody. happy hump day. >> finally here. >> midweek, here we go. i'm rob nelson. >> and i'm diana perez. investigators are recovering more from the dead kidnapper's property in alabama. we'll have the very latest. also this morning, undercover videotape that may show miami police officers spending time with a girlfriend or sipping coffee when they should have been responding to calls. the department is in crisis mode this morning. >> you hear all those good stories how they get there just like that. then you have stories just like this where they're making out, taking their time. oh, yeah, we're on our way. >> and there's an emergency happening somewhere. chncht -- which makes it even worse. we'll get to that this morning. also this morning, caught red handed. pranksters who aim those laser lights at pilots. the suspect who just got busted.

and all the money on the line. britney spears bets on a new career move. if she pays her cards right, she may be singing songs of success. that's all coming up in "the skinny." >> people ready to write britney off. no, no, no. the green is still rolling in. >> lots of it. >> big contract for mrs. spears. but first, our top story right now. bomb experts are searching the area where that little boy was held hostage for a week in alabama. >> two explosive devices have been disarmed. agents found one of those bombs inside the bunker where the hostage situation ended. here's abc's lindsay janice. >> reporter: a frightening twist that ended in a little boy's life being saved. authorities say they discovered two improvised explosive devices or ieds on the property where james lee dykes was holding 5-year-old ethan for almost a week. the fbi spent seven days planning the rescue, while negotiators kept dikes talking.

across the street, they practiced in a makeshift bunker. when their cameras showed him holding a gun, they swooped in. abc news confirmed that negotiators to convince dikes to approach a door to accept delivery of an item. there, agents set off an explosive device. he fired on agents, they fired back. moments later, dykes was dead and ethan safe. ethan, who has a mild form of autism and adhd, has been through a living nightmare. he's still being observed by doctors, but family say he appears to be doing well. >> he was running around the hospital room, putting sticky notes on everyone that was in there, eating a turkey sandwich, and watching "sponge bob." >> reporter: his mother said she can't thank law enforcement officials enough for saving her son's life and thanks friends for prayers and asking for

privacy and time to heal. when the time is right, his classmates say they'll throw him a big party to celebrate his birthday. he turns 6 on wednesday. >> happy birthday. thanks, lindsey. and now a developing story from the south pacific where a powerful 8.0 earthquake struck overnight. it was centered near the solomon islands in the pacific so-called rick -- ring of fire. dozens of homes were damaged by a small tsunami, but all tsunami warnings have been lifted. and the trial of gunman george zimmerman will go ahead as scheduled in june. a judge refused to grant a request from the defense to delay the trial. zimmerman's attorneys claim that the prosecutors did not turn over key evidence in a timely manner. the judge didn't buy it and zimmerman is accused of killing trayvon martin. a texas sheriff says the iraqi war vet charged with killing a military sniper and his friend is refusing to meet

with his family or a court-appointed attorney. he is charged with two capital murders. the sheriff says that he demanded a cigarette, even though smoking is not allowed in the jail. an internal affairs investigation of some miami-dade county police officers has department brass searching for answers this morning. video shows officers slacking off on the job. one is seen hugging a woman when he should have been responding to a burglary. the same officer is also seen drinking coffee with other cops instead of going to check on an unconscious child. a former department head calls it all despicable. >> the idea of not going to a call just never crosses your mind. that's the basics of what we do. you go, you get there, you try to make it better. >> the officer we showed earlier is among three people who have been fired in this investigation. three other officers have been suspended without pay.

>> this is quite an interesting story, because apparently they were tracked by gps, and that police officer said he was en route, but he was actually sipping a cup of coffee and he was not en route obviously. >> it's always the lie that compounds the crime. you were slacking off. we all slack off sometimes at work. not all of us have public safety in our hands. >> but even in that kind of work, in that line of work, some people decide, i need a cup of coffee, i need to see my girlfriend. if it's going to take five minutes, it's going to take five minutes. but then to lie about it? that's the problem. because if you're not going to be en route, let somebody else go. >> and no visit to your girlfriend should ever take five minutes. to protect and serve. just playing. an environmental risk to pregnant women. a study shows expectant mothers

who breathe polluted air are at risk of delivering babies with low birth weight. infant mortality rates are higher in smoggy areas. researchers studied 3 million births before releasing today's findings. something to keep in mind the next time you get your drink on. researchers found people who mix vodka with a diet soda were more intoxicated than those who mixed booze with regular soda. they think it's because the sugar in regular soda reduces the amount of alcohol absorbed into the body. sounds good. i need some of that. and now to our next story, while you're getting boozed up out there, you'll soon be able to have a healthier hamburger. this is good. researchers in kansas have developed some ground beef enriched with omega 3 fatty acids. they say it tastes the same as

regular ground beef, and it will be available nationwide by year's end. >> i don't believe that. for a second. tastes like regular beef? >> give me everything you got. i don't need you, i don't need anybody. this is my show. >> here's some of my vodka. look at the mess you've made. >> i know. it fizzed up on me. i'm sorry. my bad. i hate when that happens. a special exclusive here on "world news now." this is being dubbed the world's tiniest, tiniest car. it's the p-45, designed by a guy named jerry lee clarkson, who you might recognize. he's the same guy from the tv show "top gear." >> it has some problems with potholes, but it has some advantages here, like being able to scoot through traffic, because it's so slim and the driver can also fill up the tank while being seated in or even on the vehicle. as for taking this on major highways, no promises there. you can do that pretty much at your own risk.

>> he's wearing the car. and you pump gas in between your legs. and i thought a mini cooper was a bad idea. >> i agree. women always accuse guys of driving the flashy cars of trying to overcompensate. so maybe a dude is driving that, that could be an encouraging thing. you have to look at the bright side of things, diana. you never know. >> right. >> just saying. >> i sent my message already. >> exactly. coming up next, hollywood tough guy robert de niro, why he's shedding a few real life tears. a soft moment for raging bull. and the blinding laser lights that threaten pilots. see how a prankster got busted. you're watching "world news now." ♪ blinded by the light ♪ with this flu season being the most severe in years,

it's important to follow cdc guidelines to help protect your family. wash your hands often. and clean your surfaces using a disinfectant to prevent the spread of cold and flu viruses. you can trust lysol because lysol disinfectant spray is approved to kill twice as many germs than any other disinfectant spray. and with lysol no-touch hand soap, you have 10 times more protection with each wash. helping protect your family with lysol... that's our mission for health. in the middle of the night it can be frustrating. it's hard to turn off and go back to sleep. intermezzo is the first and only prescription sleep aid

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plus the medicine lasts long after the lozenge is gone. ahh ! mmm ! cepacol sensations. ♪ blinded by the light got willis singing this morning. pranksters are putting the safety of countless airline travelers very much at risk. >> they're shining lasers into the cockpits of planes. in san francisco, a news crew caught this crime in action. abc's senior national correspondent jim avila has the

story. >> reporter: it starts as a bright narrow beam of green light at ground level. but by the time it gets to the cockpit, this laser explodes into a blinding bright flash, a genuine hazard for pilots. >> you might think it's fun but it's extremely dangerous. >> reporter: this san francisco news copter captured this crime on tape, the second time in two weeks they were lasered. >> the guy was standing on his front porch and kept doing it over and over. >> reporter: police arrested the frank sterks -- prankster, now facing a $11,000 federal fine. the faa, fbi and local police are cracking down after a jump in laser attacks. >> got him. >> reporter: from 300 in 2005 to nearly 3,500 last year. in january of this year, a record pace of nearly 350 laser sightings. >> we just got lasered up here. >> reporter: this is a jetblue pilot having difficulty

approaching jfk in new york. >> can you have medical personnel meet the aircraft? first officer is having vision problems. >> reporter: in glendale, california, we flew with the flight police patrol that uses an infrared camera. chief pilot steve robertson was attacked himself, suffering two burned corneas. >> you take the vision from a pilot, that aircraft's ability to land is greatly compromised. >> reporter: on the lookout for a light that blinds rather than illuminates. jim avila, abc news, washington. >> i just question what these people are doing that you have so little in life that you want to sit on your porch and shine a light and potentially harm pilots, put lives at risk. what kind of moron do you have to be to do that? >> it sounds like he heard the helicopter outside and got

upset. that's why he did that. this part i love. he was so dumb, he didn't even -- he was at his home. just go next door. it's the dark. no one is going to see you slip into your own house. >> consider this serious stat. from 2011, a beam that's just 1/25 of an inch wide at its origin can be two to three feet wide by the time it gets to that plane. that's why it can hurt them and put the whole plane at risk. >> it's so serious that in 2012 it was banned by congress. congress passed an act banning people from pointing lasers at airplanes. that's how dangerous this is. it was a congressional act, people. >> i don't get it. coming up next, britney spears' career gamble. and athletes posing as

famous musicians. wait physical you see these

♪ skinny, so skinny skinny in the house! >> thank you, willis. so we start "the skinny" with something that's kind of cool. this is quite the comeback. britney spears is set to perform her own show in vegas.

>> sin city. >> this is going to be huge. "extra" is reporting she's set to headline a new show in vegas. it's between two casinos. they haven't decided which one yet. ceasar's is kind of on the ballot. formal announcement within the next couple of weeks according to her manager. so this is definitely happening. just some background information on this woman who has had quite the comeback. she looks so incredibly hot these days. she's the top earning female artist in 2012. she ranked as the highest paid performer in 2012. she earned $58 million in 2011, $64 million in 2010. so in your face, critics. >> she is bankable. i'm sure it's a big contract. britney in fighting shape is a force to be reckoned with. don't let the crazy bald-headed thing fool you. britney is hot stuff. but they don't give those contracts to just anybody.

they count on big stars packing that house day after day. >> and she will. >> she will, making big money. >> it's a nice place to land. >> not bad for a little girl from louisiana. keep doing your thing, britney. pretty cool here to espn the magazine, their music issue. they have well-known sports icons kind of pose in terms of famous albums. this is kind of cool. you may recognize ryan lochte there, the famous swimmer, posing like that little baby from the nirvana album from way back when. kind of a cool shot. and then we have i think this is nascar star jimmie johnson doing his best impression of bob dylan in that photo shoot. that's not bad. and then this, this is alex morgan. she's re-creating katy perry's look for perry's album "one of the boys." definitely a little resemblance there. looking good. kind of a cool edition of the

magazine. good to see that. >> we should do that. >> do you have a favorite athlete? >> no. do you have a favorite album cover? >> probably "thriller." >> please bring your jacket tomorrow. i know you own a jacket. >> don't say back in the day i didn't have michael jackson jacket, gloves, shoes -- >> you have it in your office. >> don't tell everybody that. don't tell nobody that. that's a secret between me and you, girl. hee-hee. >> we're going to bring it back down. this is kind of sad. robert de niro was on the katie show, and they were talking about -- he was there with bradley cooper and the producer of is the -- of "silver linings playbook" and they were talking about the responsibility of working on a movie, and robert de niro had a very interesting reaction.

take a look. >> i don't like to get emotional. but i know exactly what he goes through. >> he was talking about the filmmaker of the movie who admitted he has a son who has dealt with and struggled with bipolar. there he is. so robert de niro didn't delve into it, but he says he knows what he's going through. ing we can -- we can only imagine that someone in his family is struggling with the same thing. he is the on screen father of bradley cooper who deals with bipolar in the movie. >> and you don't see that. >> the bravado totally gone away. >> we all have issues, no matter how rich and famous. that's for sure. >> and we know you have yours. >> that's for sure. >> and we know you have yours. >> that's for sure. and did you see the magic eraser clean up that crazy kitchen mess? it was like super dirty, super clean. how? wish i hadn't. [ sniffs ] what's that amazing smell? it's mr. clean with the amazing scent of gain. wow! you know, if i had a team, you'd be on it. [ gasps ] our mascot could be a cleanosarus rex.

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can you do that, roll your rs? oh! yes, indeed. it's a nice hump day. well, some people we know have all the luck. consider the case of this couple in arkansas. >> i'm drinking all the hatorade in the world. winning the lottery wasn't enough. they did it twice in one weekend. >> what? >> what? >> reporter: i say we crown steve and terry weaver america's luckiest couple. that's not one check from the lottery, that's two. here's what happened. heading to their cabin, they stopped at the citgo, bought some scratch cards. >> it staid 1 mil. it dawned on me it meant $1 million. >> reporter: next day they bought some more. it was terry's return. >> i would do anything if i had a picture of her face. i won a million dollars and you're going to try to steal my thunder. >> reporter: not quite, but she bagged another $50,000.

the chances of that win, one in billions. franco selak survived a train wreck, plane crash, four car accidents, a bus crash, and getting hit by a bus, then bought a lottery ticket and won $1 million. and now the weavers. terry has tried but failed to spend even a little. >> i was at the mall yesterday after this, and i said there's not really anything that i want right now. >> reporter: and steve, a plumber, doesn't even want a new truck. >> i really like the truck i've got. it's six, seven years old. it's a good truck and i like it. >> reporter: what will they do with the money? >> it's going to be a large nest egg for our retirement. >> reporter: couldn't have happened to a nicer couple. >> smart answer, save up for retirement. >> nice, big -- they're definitely getting a ferrari.

>> what would you do if you hit it big like that? >> get a ferrari. >> really? >> i would keep it all to myself. >> oh, look at that. >> i will never, ever -- i'm never winning the lottery because i'm greedy. can you tell, that's my money. see the way you're looking at me, you want my money. >> $1. >> that's my luck. >> that's the luck of every overnighter for the last 21 years.

this morning on "world news now," it's deja vu all over again. after avoiding a fiscal disaster, congress is facing yet another blockbuster budget problem. >> what's at stake just weeks from now? and the budget cuts that could hit home.

it's wednesday, february 6th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning, everybody. thank you for joining us. i'm diana perez. >> and i'm rob nelson. we'll take you to washington coming up in a second to explain what is at stake in yet another fiscal cliff. this is not something new in the lexicon, fiscal cliff. we've heard it for months. now we're going to hear it probably all of 2013. >> i wonder how many people at home understand what it's all about. i don't know that we've done such a wonderful job to explaining it to the public at large. >> it's very complicated. >> some of us don't even understand it. >> you'll understand in it hits your paycheck. >> that's it. >> like the last time with the payroll tax cut. jaw dropping video showing an unusual head-on crash and the pictures are taken from one driver's point of view. look at that. >> oh, my gosh. >> imagine that on your drive home from work.

oh, man. not as bad as it looks we should say. but we'll get to it in a second. amazing video. speaking of accidents, lindsay vaughn's tragic spill on the slopes. this is really bad. onlookers could hear her cries of pain. she was screaming the whole way down. the latest from her doctors about her serious injuries. it's not as bad as it could have been, but just to hear. >> you could tell things are getting twisted and torn in that fall. >> you could hear the crushing stuff. also, a hot button issue for moms and newborns. losing that baby weight after pregnan pregnancy. get some expert advice from one of hollywood's hottest fitness -- oh -- fitness trainers. you just had a baby 4 1/2 months ago. how did you bounce back? >> who said i bounced back? i'm concealing it well. no, i am breastfeeding. sorry, way too much information.

>> i don't mind. but does that help lose weight? >> yes. i don't know how or why, but apparently it just kind of -- you shed. >> excellent. keep at it, do what you got to do. but first, the budget crisis looming once again. president obama is suggesting a short-term fix this time. >> it's a way to put off huge cuts to the military, as well as to domestic programs, all those cuts are set to go into effect in a few weeks. abc's karen travers has the latest from washington. good morning to you, karen. >> reporter: good morning, rob. good morning, diana. deja vu all over again. another deadline and president obama is telling congress if you can't get something big done, just get something done. kick the can. it's now washington's favorite game. with yet another major deadline looming for the massive automatic spending cuts, president obama said if congress can't get a big deal together by

march 1 -- >> they should at least pass a smaller package of spending cuts and tax reforms that would delay the economically damaging effects of the sequester for a few more months. >> reporter: but congress has already done that once. in order to avoid the fiscal cliff at new year's, lawmakers agreed to push off the automatic spending cuts for two months. now that's just 3 1/2 weeks away and there's no indication lawmakers are close to an agreement. >> when washington is the biggest obstacle to economic growth, we have a problem. >> reporter: and there have been some positive signs. new cbo estimates out for the first time since president obama took office, the federal deficit will drop below $1 trillion. last friday, the dow jones closed above 14,000 for the first time in more than five years. january brought modest job growth and for the big three automakers, double digit gains.

and for ten consecutive months, housing prices have gone up. it's a seller's market. yesterday, president obama warned congress to avoid any self-inflicted wounds. rob and diana, back to you. >> so if you're trying to do the math here and keep up, we remember that deal at the end of the year. that's what set the taxes higher for those making $400,000 and as part of that deal, they put off those massive cuts. now they're saying march 1. that is different from the may deadline they've come up with, which is the debt ceiling. so they've passed a law to temporarily not enforce that debt ceiling until may. so two big deadlines. march 1 and may 18. >> we do a lot of kicking the can. but almost always they come to a resolution in the 11th hour, like karen said. and there is some encouraging news, 157,000 new hires in

january is not what they were expecting. so there some encouraging news out there. we don't have to panic. but we do need to get our pocketbooks in check. and our government has a hard time doing that. >> just because the dow is over 14,000, that's a great sign. people forget those days, 6,500 when we were at the worst of the crisis, so to be over 14,000 right now is a big deal. so we'll see what's next. >> right. let's get this going. federal prosecutors are going after the huge ratings agency standards and poor's with connection to the mortgage meltdown. they accuse the company of lighting the financial fuse that helped start the financial meltdown. the justice department claims that s&p kept giving top ratings investments its own analysts warned were too risky. >> while big bankers and lenders built mortgaged backed bombs, it

was s&p's faulty ratings that detonated them. >> standards and poor's accuses the government of conducting a witch hunt. a ground breaking law maker from illinois has passed away. she became the first african-american woman to represent illinois on capitol hill. collins originally was elected to fill the seat left vacant when her husband congressman george collins was killed in a plane crash in 1972. she died sunday night at the age of 81. members of congress tomorrow will be debating the use of drones to take our terror targets. in many congress are expressing concerns about the obama administration's use of drones. and it's expected to be debated tomorrow. concerns are intensifying after the release of a justice department document that claims drones can be used against al qaeda targets without evidence of specific plots against the u.s. and president obama will be heading to israel next month for

meetings with newly re-elected israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu. he was there in 2008 when he was a presidential candidate. during this trip, the president plans stops in jordan and the west bank to meet with arab leaders. also in the middle east, iranian president ahmadinejad is on a three-day visit to egypt. he was greeted warmly by mohamed morsi. at a mosque in cairo, a protester threw his shoe at ahmadinejad, which is a big sign of disrespect. that person was arrested. in south korea, a terrifying car crash caught on tape. the camera captured the moment when an suv struck an oncoming car right there after flying over a hedge separating two roads. the impact shattered the car's windshield. we are told both drivers somehow

managed to survive the accident. >> wow. you can hear the screaming. oh, one more time. as if getting ready to give birth isn't anxiety producing enough, and i know, listen to this couple's story from wichita, kansas. they were rushing to the hospital when a thief stole their van, which was being warmed up in their driveway. oh! deputies followed the van in hot pursuit, reaching speeds up to 80 miles per hour until they threw down some spike strips. good for him. destroying the van's tires, unfortunately. that was not good. >> it went from high speed to 40, then 20 miles an hour, then the vehicle couldn't go any further. they locked up. >> paramedics rushed the mom to the hospital but it turned out to be a false alarm. no baby yet. she says the next time there's any kind of alarm, no one is starting the car until she's inside of it. >> that's right, mom. make that call now. smart lady. this is bad timing. bad timing. >> bad timing for a dumb criminal. what are you going to do?

here's a look at your hump day forecast. we have thunderstorms that are threatening dallas and new orleans. also rain in mobile, alabama. by the afternoon, the northeast starts with drizzle. but sunny later on. another rainy day in seattle. >> fog and clouds keep temperatures cool in southern california. warmer than usual in atlanta and orlando. 20s in fargo, minneapolis and detroit. and i wanted you to take a look to get an idea of what a dreary time it's been in new york with the rain and cold. take a look at willis tonight. i just wanted to let you know, we got an urgent call from bill cosby. he wants his sweater back. that's how rough it is outside. >> oh, nicely played! you piece of -- >> just had to mess with you a little bit, willis. but no, serious, i had to mess

with willis. seriously, give rudy my best. >> oh, boy. he's been plotting this all night. >> thank you, willis. he's a good sport. a little hero doing something big for the victims of superstorm sandy. this is the best story of the night. he's the reason he's our favorite story of the day. it comes to us from new york suburb of union city, new jersey. >> that is where 9-year-old petey, a student at the st. francis academy grammar school. he wanted to help those hit hard by the storm, so he sold bracelets with the proceeds going to the victims. he turned over a check to the red cross yesterday for $3,335. he even dipped into his own allowance to help raise all that money. good going, petey. nice guy, good work, good cause. well done, sir. >> what a sweetie pie. coming up, the 49ers player who admits he'll never forget sunday's super bowl loss.

and getting rid of that baby weight after pregnancy. an expert trainer's advice that could keep expectant moms in the gym. you're watching "world news now." hd-3.

skiing champion lindsey vaughn suffered a season ending injury in a crash yesterday in austria. vaughn landed on a jump hard, then took a tumble face first down the mountain. you could hear her screaming as she was sliding, and for good reason. she suffered two torn ligaments and a broken bone.

emergency teams treated her for 12 minutes before she was flown to the hospital. he'll need surgery and could be looking at six to eight months before she could get back on her skis. >> looks so painful. a source tells abc news that investigators are looking into criminal larges against lance armstrong. today is his last chance to come clean to investigators. armstrong is being investigated for obstruction of justice, witness tampering and intimidation. he confessed to lying and using performance enhancing drugs throughout his career. that all happened in that famous interview with oprah. armstrong is serving a lifetime ban from competitive sports. it looks like there were concerns about the power in the superdome months before it went out. the associated press obtained documents that show officials worried about an outage. they even spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on upgrades to power lines that were decayed, but that wasn't enough, as we all saw on sunday night. investigators still haven't pin pointed the exact cause of the

outage. we do know it was not beyonce's hairdryer. >> that weave is not going to dry itself. a sad scene in san francisco. 49ers players cleaned out their lockers yesterday and marked the official end of the season for the team. the players signed autographs and packed up their gear, some for a final time. quarterback colin kaepernick told reporters the loss will stay with him for the rest of his life. >> i mean, it's tough. we've been through a lot together, we've here with each other all the time. it's like leaving your family. >> still a long career ahead of him. that's for sure. kaepernick blames himself for making too many mistakes in that three-point loss to baltimore. he's promised to start training with his teammates by next week. on the east coast, the ravens were still partying. tens of thousands of fans lined the streets of baltimore to cheer on their team as the city shut down for a celebratory

parade. the parade route ended, packed with even more fans, both on the field and in the bleachers. ray lewis could not ask for a better way to cap off his career. that city is on fire. >> look at the cute little baby. >> just chilling in his hat. >> devin would be screaming his head off. get me out of here! >> maybe he's calm because his dad will have a $20 million contract next year. >> that could be it. coming up next, bouncing back from those baby bumps. >> how do they do it? kim kardashian's trainer brings us some expert advice. that's coming up next.bññcús1@ú?

it's been just about a month since kim kardashian announced she was pregnant. thanks to twitter, we're already seeing her baby bump. >> the question on my mind, one of many, is how is the rest of

her body holding up? we're happy to hold up she does have a personal trainer, making sure she's looking just as fine as ever. abc's abbie boudreau has more. >> reporter: the eternal question, how does she do it? hollywood moms shedding so much baby weight, so fast. >> take our arms and go like this, drop them down. >> reporter: trainer tracy anderson says the secret to getting your body back is keeping in shape during pregnancy. >> i used to have so many women coming to me after pregnancy, how can i get my body back? if i only had this during the pregnancy too. >> reporter: she should know. she's credited with transforming the hot bods of a-list moms like jennifer lopez, gwyneth paltrow, and now kim kardashian. >> so how's it going? >> she's amazing. i was refreshed to hear her first, i'm pregnant and i want to do this right and healthy. >> reporter: tracy filmed her

new dvd series while she was pregnant, offering moms to be specialized workouts for each month of their pregnancy. focusing more on the body's muscular structure than on cardio. >> she was pregnant during she was filming, so she knew her limitations. >> reporter: so you're saying it's possible to have a better body post baby than before you were pregnant? >> 100%. i have a better body now after my second baby. >> reporter: after the baby, hitting the gym can be tough, too. i know that firsthand. so i'm hoping tracy can help me with some post baby booty tips. >> you really are tight. this is going to make you feel so much better. >> reporter: she says i'm going to feel better after this. i'm not so sure. but i'm sure kim will have an easier go, despite the occasional cravings, like this mcdonald's mcgriddle, though she

said she only had one bite. >> everybody should watch her right after it, because she'll be back better than ever. >> reporter: and no doubt the world will be watching. abbie boudreau, abc news, los angeles. >> unless she's going to tell me how to hold the child while lifting a dumbbell, there's no way a regular person can do that. unless she's holding my baby. >> celebrities have trainers, nutritionists, they don't work for months at a time. >> spend time with your baby. who cares about the rest? you have the rest of your life to get hot. >> it's not about the baby fat. it's about kanye's genes you should worry about. with this flu season being the most severe in years,

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you'll learn many things on the overnight. there were plenty of six packs at the super bowl, but maybe none so memorable as those belonging to a guy named matthew perry. >> the word fine does not begin to describe this man. abc's cecilia vega got the best assignment on earth. take a look. >> reporter: some say it was the absolute best ad of the super bowl. he is the new face -- well, okay, the new abs of calvin klein. and those abs are everywhere. >> this is the guy. >> that's very admirable. >> reporter: he does have a name. he's 21-year-old matthew terry. i'm cecilia. nice to meet you.

i barely recognized you dressed. not too long ago he was stocking milk in a grocery store. i need to see the unveiling. let's see. oh, my god. i mean, this is not photo shopped. after terry's mom entered his photo in a modeling contest, the rest, as they say -- >> i get a phone call from my agent saying the video you shot is going to be in the super bowl. i was speechless. >> reporter: speechless was hardly the reaction his family had when they and the rest of the country saw him shirtless on sunday. now terry's abs join the ranks of other abs of steel and give david beckham a run for his money. but it takes a lot of work to look this good. >> i like doing planks. once you get that burning feeling, that's when you need to push yourself more. >> reporter: is it beyond a six pack at this point? >> if you count the ones on the

side. >> reporter: without a doubt, he had the best six pack of the super bowl, and it had nothing at all to do with beer. cecilia vega, abc news, new york. >> just takes one person to discover you. are you all right? she's drooling. oh, my lord. >> let me see your six pack. >> mine is in my fridge in my office. that's where mine is. i've got work to do, baby. i've got work to do. to do.

this morning on "world news now," dangerous discoveries. the bomb squad's tough job around the alabama bunker where a dramatic hostage ordeal ended this week. >> new insight into the dead kidnapper's background as the boy he held captive celebrates his 6th birthday. it's wednesday, february 6.

from abc news, this is "world news now." good morning, everyone. i'm diana perez. >> and i'm rob nelson. we'll take you to alabama in just a second where investigators face another challenging day today. hard to believe what they found. we said yesterday it could have ended a lot worse. now we for sure know. also this morning, governor versus governor, jerry brown from california and rick perry from texas are in the middle of a war of words. we'll tell you what started this latest political battle. later this half hour, putting hand sanitizers to the scientific test. what we discovered about which products work the best. >> important information. you see people lathering up every day. >> but do they work? we answer that question, that pressing, burning question. >> that's it, abc news gets to the bottom of it.

also, from the wnn inbox, your questions for our lovely miss diana perez. she's excited to answer all the questions that came in, including your question about her favorite celebrity crush. >> i think you're more excited about that crush. >> i asked you innocently. i had no idea it was going to come up in the show. i'm excited for you to share that information. >> more information i'm sharing publicly. great. >> stay tuned for that. first, our top story. the little alabama boy rescued from that hostage ordeal, celebrates his 6th birthday today with family and friends. >> his story could have had a much different ending, as investigators are finding bombs in the dead captor's property. >> reporter: this little boy is now in his mother's arms, away from that underground bunker where he was held hostage by a

man with a gun and we learned an improvised explosive device. the fbi's bold plan to rescue him, coming into sharp focus. abc news confirmed that negotiators convinced his captor to approach the bunker door to accept delivery of an item. there fbi agents set off an explosive device. law enforcement sources say dykes fired on the agents, they fired back. moments later, dykes was dead and ethan was safe. the fbi and highly specialized s.w.a.t. teams spent seven days planning the raid, while hostage negotiators tried to keep dikes talking. we boarded a helicopter here in southern alabama to get our first look at the underground bunker site. you can see a number of small structures on this lot of land. but what he didn't know is just across the street, the fbi had secretly built this mock bunker to train agents for different scenarios. >> you can practice breaching

the door, practice how to get a camera inside and ultimately design how you're going to assault this bunker. >> reporter: as authorities swarmed the ground above, negotiators remained in contact with dykes, speaking through a ventilation pipe. authorities were able to place a small camera in the bunker to monitor dykes' movements. when authorities saw him becoming increasingly agitated and holding a gun, they put their plan into action. now ethan is recuperating from his ordeal. >> you have to be impressed with law enforcement, building that fake bunker and practicing on that for several days, keeping the guy pacified. amazing work. >> and moving as quickly as they did to get in there before he was able to do anything to himself or little ethan. >> and now we know the place was rigged with explosives. ethan's mom released a statement that i thought said it all, ethan is safe and back in my

arms and i owe it to some of the most compassionate people on earth. so you can imagine what she's feeling right now. >> and the grandmother says we know he's okay physically. we don't know how he is mentally. that's the long-term question, that's for sure. >> but happy birthday. >> that's right, happy 6th birthday. police in seattle say a driver speeding away from a shooting slammed into a school bus packed with kids. 20 children were on that bus, but no one was hurt luckily. the suspect just kept on driving. deputies found the car and arrested the 32-year-old driver on investigation of assault, hit and run, and other charges. a woman pulling up to a south florida bar hit the gas instead of the brake, and this was the result. she plows through the wall. the driver was charged with a dui. you drink when you get to the bar, not on your way to the bar. that's the rules.

now we turn to that governor's feud we mentioned a second ago. it's jerry brown of california versus rick perry of texas. it's all a nasty fight over money. abc's brandi hitt reports. >> reporter: a battle is brewing between the two governors. over the golden state's golden business. it all started with this radio ad. >> building a business is tough. but i hear building a business in california is next to impossible. >> reporter: governor perry is soliciting companies to move to the lonestar state. >> i have a message for california businesses. come check out texas. >> reporter: and governor brown's response to that ad is now getting even more attention. >> it's barely a fart. >> reporter: this isn't the first time they have gone at it over business. >> i'm sick and tired of governor perry coming to california. >> reporter: but critics say this latest war of words only highlight what's a major problem

in california for years. >> taxes are high, the regulations are onerous. there's a lot of things keeping them from being able to innovate and grow their business and create jobs. >> reporter: tuesday, governor brown unveiled a new fleet of ups trucks being built in california. while his lieutenant governor is still fired up over the perry ads -- >> california has cleaned texas' clock in terms of job creation. >> reporter: governor perry has plans to head back out here to california next week to personally meet with business owners. rob and diana, back to you. >> thanks a lot, brandi. more politics now. new jersey's governor is responding to health concerns after appearing on the david letterman show, munching on that donut. he says new jersey residents should not worry about his weight. christie says diets have been part of his life for the last 30 years.

he says despite his weight, he is remarkably healthy. one of the nation's most acclaimed skiers, lindsay vaughn, should be fine for next year's olympics, but she's done for this next season. she tore two knee ligaments and broke a bone in australia yesterday. she was treated on the course and flown to the hospital. her father says vaughn could be -- could have surgery in colorado as soon as this weekend. >> that's just painful to even watch. you can see how she lands, you can see how things can get torn and broken. >> she screams the whole way down. >> also rumor she is now dating tiger woods. no word yet there on whether he was there or he's with her now as she gets medical treatment or what have you. not that that's relevant. the story is the injury. just a little hollywood tidbit. >> gives it a little flavor. >> that's it. just a little something, something. here's a look at your weather on hump day. showers in oklahoma city. heavier rain from dallas to new

orleans. ski resorts around aspen will pick up an inch of snow. rain for seattle and portland. >> temperatures on the east coast finally warm up to more seasonably readings. new york and boston near 40, warmer than usual in the southeast. 60s in atlanta. and now we get up close and personal with a couple of whales. first up, this one from the pacific coast of mexico. it happened late last week. >> an american tourist captured the picture. the animal jumps only completely out of the water. keep your distance, folks. >> and in hawaii, a humpback whale came to the surface, lifting the couple's canoe in the air. nothing bad happened. they were just amazing that they were so close to such a big animal. >> that's why i tend to stay out of the water. >> you're going to need a bigger boat. >> are you a beach person, an ocean person?

>> yes, love it. i get all the way in, as deep and as far as i can. i like swimming with the sharks. >> seriously? >> yeah. i don't want to be anywhere near a whale. >> i need a pool, chlorine, get my floaties on, i'm good. >> willis just goes as far as his bathtub. >> and that's just once a season. >> ouch. coming up later -- >> zing, the burn. >> i got to pick on you. i only got a few more weeks with you. oh, my lord. america, look away. coming up, punishment in court for a woman's single finger salute. and are your hands really clean after using hand sanitizer? germophobes, stay tuned for our

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>> if your place is like ours right here, there are anti-bacterial wipes and sanitizers everywhere. >> but some workplaces are better than others. and some hand sanitizers are better than others, as well. dr. richard besser puts them to the test. >> reporter: clean. as many as 400,000 germs per hand. that's ho many bacteria travel with us every day. so here at the university of maryland, six brave grad students and i voluntarily doused our hands in a toxic brew of thousands of e. coli bacteria to see what would take it off. first up, hand sanitizers. we tested two kinds you find at the store. one with 60% alcohol and one so-called natural formula containing no alcohol. the key is use enough of it. your hands should take 15 seconds or longer to dry.

then we pressed our hands on special incubation plates to grow any remaining bacteria. the results, dramatic. here, those graying spots of the e. coli that grew from unwashed hands. after, using hand sanitizer. but the formula without alcohol, look how many germs are left behind. alcohol-based hand sanitizers work so much better because alcohol breaks up the bacteria's proteins and kills them. but what is your best bet? guess what, it's your old friend, soap. soap gets more viruses, too. surprisingly, studies shows regular and anti-bacterial soap are equally effective, but how you use it is crucial. most of us only spend five seconds at the sink. just look how many germs remain. you have to wash your hands for a full 20 seconds to really get the bugs off.

and yes, that's singing happy birthday twice. so let's review it again. so hand sanitizers if you can't get to a sink, look for one with at least 60% alcohol. and any kind of soap is better, as long as you wash long enough. dr. richard besser, abc news, college park, maryland. >> soap. >> did you get that? >> use soap. >> he's a dirty man. >> that's way too much. oh, my lord. that's disgusting. >> he is filthy. >> what's the percent on this one? >> this is 70. our commercial for purell begins now. so use purell or use soap. >> oh, man. >> who'd have guessed it? >> i didn't see that coming. >> me either. that was the clincher of the

night. >> now that you've seen the whole picture, we're going to -- >> sanitation, sanitation. >> lather up, girl. coming up next, from the wnn inbox, your questions for our new permanent co-anchor diana perez. >> i'm going to do my best to answer them, coming up next.

what is your favorite way to waste time at work without getting caught? >> this is embarrassing. pick my nose. >> really? >> tell me you don't pick your nose at work. >> not at work. >> that is such bull. >> that was the beginning of the big revelation from my new co-anchor diana perez. >> why did i do that? >> i was thinking you're going

to fit in well. that was a home run. >> i'm sleep deprived. >> that's how we like it. certainly, your honesty does not end there. >> unfortunately. we have a special edition of "wnn inbox" this morning. it's all about me. we asked you do ask me anything and you did. you sent so many questions, all 3 million of you sent 160 questions. >> that's love. >> now i get to answer four. >> this is your first week. let's get right to the first question. donna says, i love that you shared the nose picking. please tell us about your most embarrassing televised moment. >> this is not actually that embarrassing. my first job on air, we used to do something called on the road. i was holding up a t-shirt and on the back it said "joe's crab shack." it said, "i got crabs on coney island." and i'm like, guess what i got. and we got a lot of phone calls. >> so you pick your nose and you have crabs.

i'm sitting next to a lady. leeann asks, with your husband working in philly and you here in new york, which one of you has to make the awful commute? >> both of us. we live in jersey. 55 miles split right down the middle. devin, my poor child, we never see him. that's my husband. look at his face. >> sports anchor down in philly. >> love you, baby. >> randy wants to know what your husband thinks about your new work husband, rob nelson? >> he gets the biggest kick out of this guy. he thinks you're the craziest black man he's ever seen. >> from one black man to another. we celebrate each other. and finally, who is your celebrity crush? >> this is a little racy, but so -- i'm sorry, i'm spitting now. so not really sexual. i just feel like this is quite

the specimen of a person, penelope cruz. >> really? look at that. you and penélope. your celebrity crush. >> she is so hot. she is perfect in every way. i haven't seen a lot of pictures of her after she had the baby. so i don't know. but prebaby, wow. >> what about her, is there a certain part? >> everything. every part of her. >> and that's your celebrity crush, not a dude? you have an interesting choice for a dude. >> matthew broderick for a dude. >> never saw it coming. >> but "ferris buehler's day off" matthew broderick. off" matt you broderick. people with sore throats have something new to say.

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so they can guarantee their low prices. so our hotels were half price. ♪ h-o-t-w-i-r-e... ♪ hotwire.com ♪ welcome, everybody, to "the mix." we start with something that's really interesting. i think every man's dream. you know how there are things that happen to a man that automatically tells a woman

what's happening in the bedroom, when he's ready to go. ready and raring to go. now there's a dress called intimacy 2.0. it is a project. it apparently turns transparent when a woman is sexually aroused. think of mood ring turned dress. the reason the person that created this created it is it's a project exploring intimacy and technology. it's not really a barely there thing, but it becomes more transparent. if you're asking what it's made of, it doesn't matter. >> that's interesting. come on, now. every guy's goal is always to make the dress disappear. >> you got that right! >> also this from the file of the truly stupid. there was this young girl in front of a judge in miami-dade down there in florida and got a little flippant with the judge. take a listen to this.

>> that will be 10,000. >> are you serious? >> i am serious. adios. >> [ bleep ]. >> did you say that? >> yes, sir. >> 30 days in the county jail. >> so she was stunned by the high bond that he set. she was arrested for drug possession. as she's walking away, she flips him off and literally says "f you" to the judge and gets 30 days. >> on her way out the first time, she said adios, like making fun of his accent. he said oh, really, come on back. $10,000. how do you like me now? >> maybe her probation officer will be lindsay lohan. and this is jewelry created by american designer jennifer croupy. it looks like torture

instruments, but she says it's statement jewelry that amplifies your body and encouraged gestures. it's about making artwork out of your jewelry. this is apparently going to enhance your body language and the way people perceive you, and you're supposed to look more beautiful. >> the statement there is, it's weird. >> third most watched super bowl in history, but apparently because of the power outage, it?

this morning on "world news now," explosive findings. the dangerous discoveries for the bomb squad after the dramatic end to that hostage situation in alabama. and the latest on the hostage's condition as he celebrates his 6th birthday

today. it's wednesday, february 6. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning, everybody. happy hump day. >> finally here. >> midweek, here we go. i'm rob nelson. >> and i'm diana perez. investigators are recovering more from the dead kidnapper's property in alabama. we'll have the very latest. also this morning, undercover videotape that may show miami police officers spending time with a girlfriend or sipping coffee when they should have been responding to calls. the department is in crisis mode this morning. >> you hear all those good stories how they get there just like that. then you have stories just like this where they're making out, taking their time. oh, yeah, we're on our way. >> and there's an emergency happening somewhere. >> which makes it even worse.

we'll get to that this morning. also this morning, caught red handed. pranksters who aim those laser lights at pilots. the suspect who just got busted. and all the money on the line. britney spears bets on a new career move. if she pays her cards right, she may be singing songs of success. that's all coming up in "the skinny." >> people ready to write britney off. no, no, no. the green is still rolling in. >> lots of it. >> big contract for mrs. spears. but first, our top story right now. bomb experts are searching the area where that little boy was held hostage for a week in alabama. >> two explosive devices have been disarmed. agents found one of those bombs inside the bunker where the host an -- hostage drama ended. here's abc's lindsay janice. >> reporter: a frightening twist that ended in a little boy's life being saved. authorities say they discovered two improvised explosive devices or ieds on the property where james lee dykes was holding 5-year-old ethan for almost a week. the fbi spent seven days planning the rescue, while negotiators kept dikes talking. across the street, they

practiced in a makeshift bunker. when their cameras showed him holding a gun, they swooped in. abc news confirmed that negotiators to convince dykes to approach the bunker door to accept delivery of an item. there, agents set off an explosive device. he fired on agents, they fired back. moments later, dykes was dead and ethan safe. ethan, who has a mild form of autism and adhd, has been through a living nightmare. he's still being observed by doctors, but family say he appears to be doing well. >> he was running around the hospital room, putting sticky notes on everyone that was in there, eating a turkey sandwich, and watching "sponge bob." >> reporter: his mother said she can't thank law enforcement officials enough for saving her son's life and thanks friends for prayers and asking for

privacy and time to heal. when the time is right, his classmates say they'll throw him a big party to celebrate his birthday. he turns 6 on wednesday. >> happy birthday. thanks, lindsey. and now a developing story from the south pacific where a powerful 8.0 earthquake struck overnight. it was centered near the solomon islands in the pacific so-called ring of fire. the police commissioner there says there are fatalities but no word on how many. dozens of homes were damaged by a small tsunami, but all tsunami warnings have been lifted. and the trial of gunman george zimmerman will go ahead as scheduled in june. a judge refused to grant a request from the defense to delay the trial. zimmerman's attorneys claim that the prosecutors did not turn over key evidence in a timely manner. the judge didn't buy it and zimmerman is accused of killing teenager trayvon martin. a texas sheriff says the iraqi war vet charged with killing a military sniper and his friend is refusing to meet

with his family or a court-appointed attorney. eddie ray routh is charged with two capital murders. the sheriff says that he demanded a cigarette, even though smoking is not allowed in the jail. an internal affairs investigation of some miami-dade county police officers has department brass searching for answers this morning. video shows officers slacking off on the job. one is seen hugging a woman when he should have been responding to a burglary. the same officer is also seen drinking coffee with other cops instead of going to check on an unconscious child. a former department head calls it all despicable. >> the idea of not going to a call just never crosses your mind. that's the basics of what we do. you go, you get there, you try to make it better. >> the officer we showed earlier is among three people who have been fired in this investigation. three other officers have been suspended without pay.

>> this is quite an interesting story, because apparently they were tracked by gps, and that police officer said he was en route, but he was actually sipping a cup of coffee and he was not en route obviously. >> it's always the lie that compounds the crime. you were slacking off. we all slack off sometimes at work. not all of us have public safety in our hands. >> but even in that kind of work, in that line of work, some people decide, i need a cup of coffee, i need to see my girlfriend. if it's going to take five minutes, it's going to take five minutes. but then to lie about it? that's the problem. because if you're not going to be en route, let somebody else go. >> and no visit to your girlfriend should ever take five minutes. to protect and serve. just playing. an environmental risk to pregnant women. a study shows expectant mothers who breathe polluted air are at risk of delivering babies with low birth weight. infant mortality rates are

higher in smoggy areas. researchers studied 3 million births before releasing today's findings. something to keep in mind the next time you get your drink on. researchers found people who mix vodka with a diet soda were more intoxicated than those who mixed booze with regular soda. they think it's because the sugar in regular soda reduces the amount of alcohol absorbed into the body. sounds good. i need some of that. and now to our next story, while you're getting boozed up out there, you'll soon be able to have a healthier hamburger. this is good. researchers in kansas have developed some ground beef enriched with omega 3 fatty acids. it can reduce heart disease, cholesterol, and high blood pressure as well.

they say it tastes the same as regular ground beef, and it will be available nationwide by year's end. >> i don't believe that. for a second. tastes like regular beef? >> give me everything you got. i don't need you, i don't need anybody. this is my show. >> here's some of my vodka. look at the mess you've made. >> i know. it fizzed up on me. i'm sorry. my bad. i hate when that happens. a special exclusive here on "world news now." this is being dubbed the world's tiniest, tiniest car. it's the p-45, designed by a guy named jerry lee clarkson, who you might recognize. he's the same guy from the tv show "top gear." >> it has some problems with potholes, but it has some advantages here, like being able to scoot through traffic, because it's so slim and the driver can also fill up the tank while being seated in or even on the vehicle. as for taking this on major highways, no promises there. you can do that pretty much at your own risk.

>> he's wearing the car. and you pump gas in between your legs. and i thought a mini cooper was a bad idea. >> i agree. women always accuse guys of driving the flashy cars of trying to overcompensate. so maybe a dude is driving that, that could be an encouraging thing. you have to look at the bright side of things, diana. you never know. >> right. >> just saying. >> i sent my message already. >> exactly. coming up next, hollywood tough guy robert de niro, why he's shedding a few real life tears. a soft moment for raging bull. and the blinding laser lights that threaten pilots. see how a prankster got busted. you're watching "world news now." ♪ blinded by the light with this flu season being the most severe in years,

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plus the medicine lasts long after the lozenge is gone. ahh ! mmm ! cepacol sensations. ♪ blinded by the light got willis singing this morning. pranksters are putting the safety of countless airline travelers very much at risk. >> they're shining lasers into the cockpits of planes. in san francisco, a news crew caught this crime in action. abc's senior national correspondent jim avila has the

story. >> reporter: it starts as a bright narrow beam of green light at ground level. but by the time it gets to the cockpit, this laser explodes into a blinding bright flash, a genuine hazard for pilots. >> you might think it's fun but it's extremely dangerous. >> reporter: this san francisco news copter captured this crime on tape, the second time in two weeks they were lasered. >> the guy was standing on his front porch and kept doing it over and over. >> reporter: police arrested the prankster, now facing a $11,000 federal fine. the faa, fbi and local police are cracking down after a jump in laser attacks. >> got him. >> reporter: from 300 in 2005 to nearly 3,500 last year. in january of this year, a record pace of nearly 350 laser sightings. >> we just got lasered up here. >> reporter: this is a jetblue pilot having difficulty approaching jfk in new york.

>> can you have medical personnel meet the aircraft? first officer is having vision problems. >> reporter: in glendale, california, we flew with the flight police patrol that uses an infrared camera. chief pilot steve robertson was attacked himself, suffering two burned corneas. >> you take the vision from a pilot, that aircraft's ability to land is greatly compromised. >> reporter: on the lookout for a light that blinds rather than illuminates. jim avila, abc news, washington. >> i just question what these people are doing that you have so little in life that you want to sit on your porch and shine a light and potentially harm pilots, put lives at risk. what kind of moron do you have to be to do that? >> it sounds like he heard the helicopter outside and got upset.

that's why he did that. this part i love. he was so dumb, he didn't even -- he was at his home. just go next door. it's the dark. no one is going to see you slip into your own house. >> consider this serious stat. from 2011, a beam that's just 1/25 of an inch wide at its origin can be two to three feet wide by the time it gets to that plane. that's why it can hurt them and put the whole plane at risk. >> it's so serious that in 2012 it was banned by congress. congress passed an act banning people from pointing lasers at airplanes. that's how dangerous this is. it was a congressional act, people. >> i don't get it. coming up next, britney spears' career gamble. and the big money that's at stake. and athletes posing as famous musicians.

wait until you see these pictures. that's next in "the skinny."

♪ skinny, so skinny skinny in the house! >> thank you, willis. so we start "the skinny" with something that's kind of cool. this is quite the comeback. britney spears is set to perform her own show in vegas.

>> sin city. >> this is going to be huge. "extra" is reporting she's set to headline a new show in vegas. it's between two casinos. they haven't decided which one yet. ceasar's is kind of on the ballot. formal announcement within the next couple of weeks according to her manager. so this is definitely happening. just some background information on this woman who has had quite the comeback. she looks so incredibly hot these days. she's the top earning female artist in 2012. she ranked as the highest paid performer in 2012. she earned $58 million in 2011, $64 million in 2010. so in your face, critics. >> she is bankable. i'm sure it's a big contract. britney in fighting shape is a force to be reckoned with. don't let the crazy bald-headed

thing fool you. britney is hot stuff. but they don't give those contracts to just anybody. they count on big stars packing that house day after day. >> and she will. >> she will, making big money. >> it's a nice place to land. >> not bad for a little girl from louisiana. keep doing your thing, britney. pretty cool here to espn the magazine, their music issue. they have well-known sports icons kind of pose in terms of famous albums. this is kind of cool. you may recognize ryan lochte there, the famous swimmer, posing like that little baby from the nirvana album from way back when. kind of a cool shot. and then we have i think this is nascar star jimmie johnson doing his best impression of bob dylan in that photo shoot. that's not bad. and then this, this is alex morgan. she's re-creating katy perry's look for perry's album "one of the boys." definitely a little resemblance there. looking good. kind of a cool edition of the magazine.

good to see that. >> we should do that. >> do you have a favorite athlete? >> no. do you have a favorite album cover? >> probably "thriller." >> please bring your jacket tomorrow. i know you own a jacket. >> don't say back in the day i didn't have michael jackson jacket, gloves, shoes -- >> you have it in your office. >> don't tell everybody that. don't tell nobody that. that's a secret between me and you, girl. hee-hee. >> we're going to bring it back down. this is kind of sad. robert de niro was on the "katie" show, and they were talking about -- he was there with bradley cooper and the producer of "silver linings playbook," and they were talking about the responsibility of working on a movie, and robert de niro had a very interesting reaction. take a look. >> i don't like to get emotional.

but i know exactly what he goes through. >> he was talking about the filmmaker of the movie who admitted he has a son who has dealt with and struggled with bipolar. there he is. so robert de niro didn't delve into it, but he says he knows what he's going through. we can only imagine that someone in his family is struggling with the same thing. he is the on screen father of bradley cooper who deals with bipolar in the movie. >> and you don't see that. >> the bravado totally gone away. >> we all have issues, no matter how rich and famous. that's for sure. >> and we know you have yours. >> that's for sure. >> and we know you have yours. >> that's for sure. and did you see the magic eraser clean up that crazy kitchen mess? it was like super dirty, super clean. how? wish i hadn't. [ sniffs ] what's that amazing smell? it's mr. clean with the amazing scent of gain. wow! you know, if i had a team, you'd be on it. [ gasps ] our mascot could be a cleanosarus rex.

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yes, indeed. it's a nice hump day. well, some people we know have all the luck. consider the case of this couple in arkansas. >> i'm drinking all the hatorade in the world. winning the lottery wasn't enough. they did it twice in one weekend. >> what? >> what? >> reporter: i say we crown steve and terry weaver america's luckiest couple. that's not one check from the lottery, that's two. here's what happened. heading to their cabin, they stopped at the citgo, bought some scratch cards. >> it staid 1 mil. it dawned on me it meant $1 million. >> reporter: next day they bought some more. it was terry's turn. >> i would do anything if i had a picture of her face. i won a million dollars and you're going to try to steal my thunder. >> reporter: not quite, but she bagged another $50,000.

the chances of that win, one in billions. franco selak survived a train wreck, plane crash, four car accidents, a bus crash, and getting hit by a bus, then bought a lottery ticket and won $1 million. and now the weavers. terry has tried but failed to spend even a little. >> i was at the mall yesterday after this, and i said there's not really anything that i want right now. >> reporter: and steve, a plumber, doesn't even want a new truck. >> i really like the truck i've got. it's six, seven years old. it's a good truck and i like it. >> reporter: what will they do with the money? >> it's going to be a large nest egg for our retirement. >> reporter: couldn't have happened to a nicer couple. >> smart answer, save up for retirement. >> nice, big -- they're definitely getting a ferrari.

>> what would you do if you hit it big like that? >> get a ferrari. >> really? >> i would keep it all to myself. >> oh, look at that. >> i will never, ever -- i'm never winning the lottery because i'm greedy. can you tell, that's my money. see the way you're looking at me, you want my money. >> $1. >> that's my luck. >> that's the luck of every overnight anchor for the last 21 years.

this morning, overnight tsunami scare. >> a massive quake in the south pacific triggers warnings that devastating waves could be on the way. a number of nations, rushing to prepare overnight. and bunker bombs found inside that shelter where an

alabama boy was held hostage. new details today. little ethan's sixth birthday. collision course. it's tough to watch. everyone is okay. but is this the scariest dash cam crash ever? and close encounters. up close and personal with the biggest mammals on earth. good morning, everyone. we do begin with that breaking news. an extremely powerful earthquake striking one of the most remote areas on earth. >> it happened overnight in the south pacific. the magnitude 8.0 quake struck near the solomon islands, which lie along the seismically active pacific ring of fire. >> five villages in the tropical island chain were impacted by tsunami waves. dozens of homes in one of them were damaged. and there's now reports that several people have been killed. the quake was so big, there were tsunami concerns as far away as japan.